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Stock-Based Compensation
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Stock-Based Compensation
7. Stock-Based Compensation

The ACCO Brands Corporation Incentive Plan (the "Plan") provides for stock-based awards generally in the form of stock options, restricted stock units ("RSUs") and performance stock units ("PSUs"), any of which may be granted alone or with other types of awards and dividend equivalents. A total of up to 11,775,000 shares may be issued under awards to key employees and non-employee directors under the Plan.

Beginning in 2018, the Company initiated a cash dividend to stockholders and began accruing dividend equivalents (“DEs") on all outstanding RSUs and PSUs as permitted by the Plan. DEs entitle holders of RSUs and PSUs to the same dividend value per share as holders of common stock. RSUs and PSUs are credited with DEs that are converted to RSUs and PSUs at the fair market value of our common stock on the dates the dividend payments are made and are subject to the same terms and conditions as the underlying award. DEs credited to RSUs and PSUs will only be paid to the extent the awards vest and any performance goals are achieved.

We will satisfy the requirement for delivering shares of our common stock for our Plan by issuing new shares.

The following table summarizes the impact of all stock-based compensation expense on our Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019:
(in millions)202120202019
Selling, general and administrative expense$15.2 $6.5 $10.1 
Loss before income tax(15.2)(6.5)(10.1)
Income tax benefit(3.6)(1.6)(2.4)
Net loss$(11.6)$(4.9)$(7.7)
There was no capitalization of stock-based compensation expense.

Stock-based compensation expense by award type for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:
(in millions)202120202019
Stock option compensation expense$3.6 $2.7 $2.7 
RSU compensation expense5.3 5.2 5.1 
PSU compensation expense6.3 (1.4)2.3 
Total stock-based compensation expense$15.2 $6.5 $10.1 

Stock Options

The exercise price of each stock option equals or exceeds the fair market price of our stock on the date of grant. Options granted prior to 2020 can generally be exercised over a term of seven years and starting in 2020 options can generally be exercised over a term of ten years. Stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2021, generally vest ratably over three years from the grant date. The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and the weighted average assumptions as outlined in the following table:
Year Ended December 31,
202120202019
Weighted average expected lives6.0years6.0years4.6years
Weighted average risk-free interest rate0.93 %0.81 %2.49 %
Weighted average expected volatility41.3 %36.0 %36.1 %
Expected dividend yield3.07 %3.16 %2.65 %
Weighted average grant date fair value$2.45 $2.03 $2.40 

Volatility is calculated using ACCO Brands' historic volatility. The weighted average expected option term reflects the application of the simplified method, which defines the life as the average of the contractual term of the option and the weighted average vesting period for options granted in 2020. The weighted average expected option term reflects ACCO Brands' historic life for all options granted prior to 2020. The risk-free interest rate for the expected term of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant.

A summary of the changes in stock options outstanding under the Plan during the year ended December 31, 2021 is presented below:
Number
Outstanding
Weighted Average Exercise PriceWeighted Average Remaining Contractual TermAggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at December 31, 20204,962,885 $9.40 
Granted1,550,797 $8.42 
Exercised(469,055)$6.73 
Forfeited(184,060)$9.94 
Outstanding at December 31, 20215,860,567 $9.34 5.7 years$0.5  million
Exercisable shares at December 31, 20213,067,945 $10.15 3.4 years$0.5  million

We received cash of $3.2 million, $4.4 million and $4.2 million from the exercise of stock options during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 totaled $1.0 million, $1.6 million and $1.0 million, respectively.

The fair value of options vested during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $2.7 million, $2.7 million and $1.9 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, we had unrecognized compensation expense related to stock options of $3.3 million, which will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.7 years.
Stock Unit Awards

RSUs vest over a pre-determined period of time, generally three years from the date of grant. Stock-based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 includes $0.7 million, $0.9 million and $1.1 million, respectively, of expense related to RSUs granted to non-employee directors as a component of their compensation. RSUs granted to non-employee directors prior to 2021 became fully vested on the grant date; in 2021 non-employee director RSUs fully vest on the first anniversary of the grant date.

PSUs also vest over a pre-determined period of time, generally not longer than three years, but are further subject to the achievement of certain business performance criteria being met during the three-year performance period. Based upon the level of achieved performance, the number of shares actually awarded can vary from 0 percent to 200 percent of the original grant.

There were 1,906,891 RSUs outstanding as of December 31, 2021. All outstanding RSUs as of December 31, 2021 vest within three years of their date of grant. We generally recognize compensation expense for our RSU awards ratably over the service period. Upon vesting, all of the RSU awards will be converted into the right to receive one share of common stock of the Company for each unit that vests. The cost of these awards is determined using the fair value of the shares on the date of grant, and compensation expense is generally recognized over the period during which the employee provides the requisite service to the Company.

A summary of the changes in the RSUs outstanding under the Plan during 2021 is presented below:
Stock
Units
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Outstanding at December 31, 20202,050,085 $9.31 
Granted362,750 $8.78 
Vested and distributed(335,380)$12.64 
Vested and deferred distributed(122,611)$9.32 
Forfeited and cancelled(47,953)$8.86 
Outstanding at December 31, 20211,906,891 $8.64 
Vested and deferred at December 31, 2021(1)
491,242 $8.70 
(1)Included in outstanding at December 31, 2021. Vested and deferred RSUs are primarily related to deferred compensation for non-employee directors.

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we granted 724,319 and 679,601 RSUs, respectively. The weighted-average grant date fair value of our RSUs was $8.78, $7.92, and $8.74 for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The fair value of RSUs that vested during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $4.2 million, $4.7 million and $3.6 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, we have unrecognized compensation expense related to RSUs of $3.4 million, which will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.6 years.

A summary of the changes in the PSUs outstanding under the Plan during 2021 is presented below:
Stock
Units
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Outstanding at December 31, 2020— $— 
Granted1,667,012 $8.42 
Vested— $— 
Forfeited and cancelled(14,550)$8.42 
Other - decrease due to performance of PSUs105,758 $8.42 
Outstanding at December 31, 20211,758,220 $8.42 

For the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we granted 939,529 and 895,389 PSUs, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, zero, 377,073 and 1,059,825 PSUs vested, respectively. The weighted-average grant date fair value of our PSUs was $8.42, $8.25, and $8.35 for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The fair value of PSUs that vested during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 was zero, $4.8 million and $8.1
million respectively. Based on the level of achievement of the performance targets associated with the PSU awards, as of December 31, 2021, we have 7.9 million unrecognized compensation expense, which will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.7 years.